Never Letting Go
by HLecter511
Summary: She was the perfect specimen to take under his wing. Although, she does become more than just an apprentice to him.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter: **Obligation

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…**..** _**FBI's Behavioral Science Unit**_**: …..**

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_There was a new case that has open and had to be solve as quickly as possible. The case was of a serial killer or two capturing people, keeping them hostage until they became like animals then let them loose to fight in the wildness against nature and others like them. Sometimes, the killer or killers would end them with traps or torture techniques._

"_Alright, we got another missing." Jack Crawford, head of FBI's Behavioral Science Unit, walk towards a bulletin board that had a enlarge map of the US. He steps to the side of it to a bulletin where missing pictures of fifteen other victims were. There were some that had red x-marks on the corner of them, showing that those victims were found but they were killed. The total that was dead was seven so far._

_Standing in the room, Special Agent Will Graham, a 'gifted' criminal profiler that can image himself in the killer's shoes, stare at the picture that Jack pin up of the latest victim._

_The picture shows a natural beautiful woman with light flawless tan skin, pale turquoise eyes, black wavy hair, and a pretty white teeth smile. _

"_Wow, she is beautiful." Jimmy Price, one of Jack's forensics and technology workers said. Beside him where his partners in the labs and field, Brian Zeller and Beverly Katz, nod their heads in agreement._

"_Indeed. She is. This is Nayla Draco, age 29, 5ft 7in, and 130Ibs and she is not married. She is a sociology professor and gymnastic coach. She was last seen closing up the gymnastic building that she works at. Her only living relative is her grandfather, who has been informed of what is going on, but he lives in Lithuania and will be over as soon as possible." _

"_Lithuania? Is Ms. Draco Lithuanian?" An exotic accent voice asks with interest, sitting in a seat in front of Jack's desk._

_Everyone look behind them to stare at Dr. Hannibal Lecter. He was assigned as Will's psychiatrist a couple months ago. He sometimes comes along with Will on assignments whenever he was around._

_Staring at him, Jack look back down at the file where a few sheets were with information on Ms. Nayla Draco._

"_Yes. Ms. Draco was born in Boston, Mass. But her grandfather became her guardian at the age of five and took her back to her father's native land of Lithuanian. She came back to the states at the age of eighteen for college."_

"_What happen to her parents?" Will asked._

"_Car accident. An overdose on drugs driver hit them head on." Jack answer, shutting the file and staring at all of them._

"_We are going to find this bastard or bastards. This cannot go on." Jack said, walking over to his desk and sitting down behind it. He glances at everyone causing Price, Zeller, and Katz to leave only leaving Jack, Hannibal and Will._

"_We have to find all of them and Ms. Draco. Her grandfather is coming soon and he is known as a powerful man. Known as Count Aldric Draco."_

"_He owns museums and opera houses. He used to be a president for a university one time too. Very successful in Lithuanian and Europe." Hannibal instantly said causing Jack and Will to stare at him with raised eyebrows._

"_I am Lithuanian born, gentlemen."_

"_Right. Then you can probably help me Dr. Lecter if I need a translator."_

"_I can do that." Hannibal nods his head a little with a smirk. _

"_Good. Now, Will I need you to look over all these files again? I have to get a lead on this killer or killers. This needs to end now."_

_Hannibal look at Will, seeing Will nod his head and reach out for the files. Hannibal could see the tiredness in Will's face, but also, his physique. Keeping his eyes on Will, Hannibal knew that whatever cases was thrown Will's way, it was affecting him every moment._

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…_**..Two Months Later: …..**_

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_The cases were becoming frustrating to everyone, especially with the families of the victims being presence at the headquarters. Hannibal had left the building, saying that he had to be home early because he has early appointments the next day, which wasn't a lie._

_As Hannibal drove, he had decided to take the back roads instead of the highway all the way home. He sometimes enjoys exploring the nature that is around him. _

_Driving through the dark on a lonely road, Hannibal turns on his high beams on his Bentley. The road wasn't one to have many cars to pass by him, especially at eleven at night in October. _

_Soft orchestra music was playing through the speakers as he drove around the bends of the road. Hannibal reaches over to his radio, turning the volume knob up slightly. He nod at the satisfying volume level and took his hand away from the knob, resting it back on the steering wheel._

_His eyes unconsciously glance up into his rearview mirror and what he saw in the rearview mirror before it was consume by darkness made him to slam his breaks. _

_The Bentley let out a whine from its breaks being slam at such an abrupt stop. Hannibal sat there, Bach playing softly over his speakers and the Bentley was still running. Slowly, Hannibal looks behind him to stare out the back window to see a figure coming out of the darkness._

_Turning back forwards, Hannibal put his Bentley in reverse and back up quickly. Going past the figure, the figure stop walking. Hannibal put his Bentley in park and slowly got out of his vehicle._

"_Ms...Draco?"_

_The figure tense up a bit then slowly turn around, staring at Hannibal with pale turquoise eyes._

_Standing before him was one of the victims that Jack was looking for. A victim that was kidnapped and now was standing before Hannibal in a very horrible state. Standing before him, Hannibal slowly began to walk towards her with cautions steps. He could see her tensing up a bit and staring at him with animalistic eyes._

"_I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to help you. My name is Dr. Hannibal Lecter." __Hannibal began to speak to her in Lithuanian tongue causing her tenseness to lessen up a bit. Though, she still stared at him like a hawk eyeing its prey very, very closely._

_Her state wasn't a good one in Hannibal's eyes. He could see that Ms. Nayla Draco was in shock and traumatized from whatever she has been through. And by looking at her, Hannibal could say that she has been through a lot. _

_Nayla Draco was only wearing black spandex shorts that stop above her mid-thigh. She had this black spandex type tank top that was cut up that it stops above her bellybutton. What really tops it off was the blood all over her and coming down her chin, down her neck too. There was bruises on her arms and legs too._

_Her fingers twitched as Hannibal came closer and reach out to her._

"_Nayla." Hannibal softly said, staring into her eyes with a gentle smile._

_A lone tear slid down her cheek causing Hannibal to step forwards and wipe it away._

"_You're safe with me."_

"_Thank you." She softly says before blacking out._

_Hannibal caught her, not carrying about his jackets getting dirty as he held her to him. He checks her over, seeing that she was beaten up a bit, but the blood had appeared to not be hers. That made him to stare at her, but noted her left hand was clench around something._

_Reaching out with his black leather cover hand, Hannibal open up the hand to see what she was clenching. His eyebrows couldn't help but rise in a bit of amusement._

_A tongue was what she was clenching in her hand. _

_That made Hannibal to stare at it then at Nayla's face, now seeing why she had blood underneath her lips and going down her neck. _

_She had bitten someone's tongue off and Hannibal wanted to know whose tongue it was._

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…_**..Few Hours Later: …..**_

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_In Baltimore at John Hopkins Hospital, there were two FBI agents standing outside a medical room. Inside the room, Jack, Will and Hannibal stood around a hospital bed where an unconscious Nayla Draco was lying in._

"_We have to question her immediately."_

"_Jack, she probably just went through a horrific time. She has to recover."_

"_Will, she is the key to knowing where this asshole is. There are other lives still out there." Jack said, staring down Will before leaving the room. Will sigh and step closer to the bed, staring at Nayla then he glance to the other side of the bed where Hannibal was sitting._

"_Are you alright, doctor? You are the one that found her in a horrible state."_

"_Indeed, I have. But I am fine, Will." Hannibal simply replied, staring at Nayla, but did give Will a slight glance. _

"_You do know that you don't have to stay, Dr. Lecter. There are agents outside the room and there are nurses aro—"_

"_Something is different about her, Will. I feel like I have this obligation to be here." Hannibal said, staring at the peaceful face of Nayla then look at Will. _

_Staring at Hannibal, Will couldn't believe that Hannibal was showing deep concern for this woman. Will nodded at him and started to walk towards the door. Before he left the room, he look back at Hannibal, seeing the doctor staring at Nayla then look over at him._

"_Just call if she wakes up or if you need anything."_

"_I will do so, Will. Thank you and have a nice night."_

"_Night, doctor." Will replied, nodding his head then left the room with the door clicking behind him. _

_Hannibal stares at Nayla before him and he reached to her, grasping her left hand. He moves his seat closer to her bed and got himself comfort. He stared at her, not knowing why she had trigger this newfound interest inside him. Was it seeing her with animalistic eyes? Was it seeing her being strong to escape and survive against killers? Or was it her biting someone's tongue out of their mouth? _

_With all the questions circling in his head, Hannibal didn't know what it was that made her draw him in like a moth to a flicking flame. When she comes around again, Hannibal will find out why she was causing him to feel this way._

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**Disclaimer: **Don't own anything about the Hannibal Series. The only thing that I do own is my OC, Nayla. Oh, I also her grandfather, Aldric, who will be making an appearance very soon. Thanks and enjoy. Also, I know that my grammar/tenses suck at times—don't have to flame about it. So, enjoy, read and review.

Thank you yet again!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter: **The Perfect Specimen

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…**..The Next Morning: …..**

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Cracking open her eyes slowly, Nayla blinked a few times for her eyes to adjust and the blurriness to clear up. She felt softness underneath her back making her to sigh out and shut her eyes again. But they snap open again as she realize that she wasn't on sleeping on top of the ground.

Sitting up, she groans and let out a few mutter of swears underneath her breath as she felt her body pulsing from being beaten up from one of her kidnappers. Her eyes open back up, looking around at her new surroundings and seeing she was in a hospital. When her eyes came to the left, she was staring in amber hazel eyes.

A scream came out of her mouth and she flew out of the bed.

The door slam open, the agents with their guns drawn causing Nayla to let out a scream again and back up into the wall.

"Whoa, whoa, what is going on in here?"

"Put those away now." Hannibal lowly growled at the agents while standing up and staring at a frighten Nayla. She was staring at them with caution eyes, glancing at all three but her eyes narrow a bit in concentration when she stared at Hannibal.

Nayla stare at the man with amber hazel eyes. She was getting flashbacks of the night she was found by someone. They said they would help her and that they told her that she was safe with them.

"Who are you?" Nayla instantly stare down Hannibal, asking.

"Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Do you remember me?"

Her head tilted a bit, staring at him and getting those flashbacks of him helping her on the night she escaped. Nayla slowly nodded her head and went to step in his direction, but the agents came towards her.

"Ma'am we suggest you get back in bed."

Instantly her pale turquoise eyes seem to darken causing Hannibal eyebrows to rise. He steps forwards and in front of the agents causing them to stare at him with slight narrow eyes.

"She doesn't trust you two." Hannibal lowly told them with nothing but a serious face.

"And she trusts you?"

"It's because I have found her. If you want her to snap on you two, then step to her again. But if you don't, step back outside of the room and let me handle this. It is my job to help others socially and mentally, you know." Hannibal told them.

The two agents stare at him then nod their heads, leaving the room and shutting it behind them. However, it opens back up to show a nurse and a doctor.

"Oh, dear, you shouldn't be out of bed."

Staring them down, Nayla slowly step back to her bed and got in. The IVs and wires had stayed attach, even though she had just literally dove out of the bed a few moments ago.

The nurse and doctor check Nayla over causing Nayla to tense up a bit yet again. However, she relaxed when Hannibal step to her side and softly whispers 'that it was alright' in her late father's native tongue of Lithuanian.

When the nurse and doctor left, it left Nayla to slowly turn her head and stare at Hannibal, who sat himself back down in the seat beside her bed. They stare at one another before Nayla look away from him and look straight ahead, staring at the wall with an emotionless expression.

"I know that you or some others are to question me. You might as well start, doctor."

"Well, I am actually not the one to do that. I am a forensic psychiatrist, but I am mostly here on my own free will. But if you want me to ask about you, I'm going to ask about how you are feeling right now." Hannibal told her.

"How I am feeling? Do you really want me to be honest about that?" Nayla glance at him in the corner of her eyes with slight raise eyebrows.

"If you don't mind."

"Cold. Caution. Animalistic."

The three words she had given him made Hannibal head to tilt his head a bit to the side. She was still staring at the wall across from her, but her eyes seem to narrow a bit.

"Is it because whoever kidnaps you had treated you like an animal."

"Yes. And the others. Then when they have you wild up and you don't really have that human consciousness anymore but an animal one, they let you out of your cells and watch you fight each other. Mostly survival for the fitness. The strongest wins."

"And did you win?"

"Me?" Nayla finally look at him with this sarcastic laugh and shook her head. She had this sadistic looking smile on her face, but her face slowly turns back to coldness. Hannibal took note of her emotions and how fast they can change.

"I was going to be a toy to one of the killers. There are three of them. One is the ringleader, one is like his lieutenant and the other is a trainee. The lieutenant found me a natural beautiful woman. Had the appearance, personality and the body."

Hannibal felt something stir in him. He didn't like where this was going. There was a form of rage in him for what this 'lieutenant' to the ringleader must've done to Nayla.

"He would take me out of the cell, walk around the place trying to chat me up and then put me back in my cell. He was trying to make me to be his pet. Then a few days ago, he came to my cell, brought me out, but this time he had intensions of finalizing in making me his pet. He brought me to this area where they usually hang out and made me go onto my knees in front of him." Nayla was staring at the wall, explaining this to Hannibal. Her fist clenches on the blankets then relax.

"You don't have to continue if you don't' want to." Hannibal told her.

"Oh, but it isn't what you think, Dr. Lecter. No." Nayla smoothly said to him in this dark voice. She slowly turns his head to him and she had the emotionless mask on her face again.

"He didn't know that the whole time he would take me out, I would memorize every surroundings we went around. I memorize the exits and the entrances. Where we step over certain spots because of traps. The times that the ringleader and the trainee would walk around. I memorize and made note of every little thing." She softly said, staring into his eyes. Her eyes were moving back and forth a tiny bit, staring into his eyes and trying to read him. Hannibal could see that she was survivalist, an analyzer, but mostly, she was proving to him that she was an alpha predator.

"When he bent down, trying to have me and giving me a kiss…that was when the plan came in play."

"What happen?"

"I bit his tongue out then stole his hunting knife and stab him underneath his ribs. I then ran off, dodging the traps and finding the exit that leads outside. I kept running and running. Until I came to the road and you found me." Nayla explained, staring at him with a raise eyebrow.

Hannibal nods his head a little with a blank expression. But inside, he was grinning with darkly. To him, Hannibal believes that those killers had kidnapped a wrong person. They had kidnapped not a normal being, but a superior one. One that let the animal and survival side to take over, but was able to control it. To him, Nayla Draco was the perfect specimen to take under his wing.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter: **You Can Call Me Hannibal

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…**.. A Week Later: …..**

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After Nayla awakening, the doctors had made her stay for a few more days in the hospital to make sure that her body were back to normal. Once she had been cleared to leave, she didn't get to go straight home or rather somewhere to stay—since her home was sold off in the market. Instead, she had been transported to the FBI's Behavioral Science unit for questioning.

In questioning, Jack had got information about one of the two hideouts causing him to create a squad of agents to head out to these locations. He then ask her about the killers, to which Nayla told him that she had most likely killed one of them and the other two were still alive. When Jack left the room, a woman by the name of Dr. Alana Bloom came in and began to question Nayla.

By now, it has been hours and Nayla wasn't someone to sit in one spot forever. In addition, she had just spent almost three months with her kidnappers and the victims, turning into an animalistic victim in order to survive. Nayla wasn't becoming any happier at the moment.

Behind the two ways mirror was Will and Hannibal. Jack had gone off to talk to the squad about the locations that Nayla had given him. Once Alana finishes up with questionings and analyzing Nayla, they would go too. And Nayla would be joining them to help out anyway she can.

"Now, Ms. Draco, when you have decided to take your plan in action. What was going through your mind?"

"Dr. Bloom, can I just say a few things."

Hannibal and Will glance at one another with curious faces and then look back. They began to see Nayla face becoming annoyed making Hannibal to know that Nayla was getting angry and frustrated with being question many times.

"Will, you have to stop Dr. Bloom. It appears that Nayla is finish with being question for today. I would stop her n—"Hannibal was saying, but Nayla began to speak.

"Why don't you just ask me what was going through my head when I had killed the lieutenant? What I felt after that? I can tell that you are a gentle and take small steps psychiatrist. You do this with any of your patients. You're not a psychiatrist that takes big steps because you want to let your patients be comfortable and used to you. Yes, it is a good thing but at the same time not. That makes me to believe that you're a psychiatrist that is mostly assign to families, children, or teens. You probably deal with those situations more than anything. Thus, just ask me the direct questions and take the kiddy gloves off." Nayla retorted, her turquoise eyes were darkening a bit.

Speechless, Alana couldn't think anymore. She slowly looks at the two way mirror where she knew that Will, Hannibal and possibly Jack was back to standing behind it

"Damn." Will whispers, seeing this 'animal' side that Nayla had seem to develop over her kidnapping time. Hannibal had explained to Will that Nayla uses this 'animal side' as this defensive mechanism more than an offensive one. She protects herself more than attacks. But at the moment, she seems to split the defensive and offensive to make Alana speechless.

"I would get her now." Hannibal said, his hands clasp behind his back and he look at Will with a raised eyebrow. Once again, inside, Hannibal was smirking viciously at Nayla's way. Hannibal knew that Nayla still has her past self in her, but now, she had develop this new self to fuse with her old one. The new one is more fierce and superior then her old self. And thus, it made Hannibal to try to take her under his wing soon. Then from there, he would try to mold her into a carbon copy of himself or close to being like him.

"If you want, I can tell you that I think my 'id' and my 'superego' might be fighting one another, so I do have a defensive mechanisms wall coming up."

"How—"

"I am a sociology professor. My BA was in sociology, my masters were in criminology. On the side, I have a minor in psychology. Trust me, don't go Sigmund Freud on me because my 'libido' energy isn't presence in the time like this either. To throw it in there, my childhood was fine and I have learned to develop a strong attitude growing up. Hence, my survivalist ways today. You or another psychiatrist might have to go humanism on me." Nayla sat back in her seat, crossing her right leg over her left. Her hands clasp together and rest in her lap. And then her eyes stayed on a speechless Alana once again.

"Dr. Bloom, you can come out." Will enter the room, staring at Alana then took a glance at Nayla. His eyes were trap when her eyes had instantly connected with his. Will could feel the rage swirling inside Nayla.

"But, Will—"

"Now." Jack had made his presence known when he appear into the room, showing he was back from talking to the squad that he made.

Standing up, Dr. Bloom left the room and in step Jack, Will and then Hannibal, who was staring at him with a gentle grin. Nayla stare at each of them, but her eyes rest on Hannibal last. She knew something was different about him than the others. He may look like a man that enjoys the finer things and OCD perfectionist, but there was something inhuman about him. He was too perfect in her eyes.

"That was—"

"I should apologize to Dr. Bloom about my curt comments and behavior. I was simply getting annoy with all the questioning being put onto me. I just want this to end and rest." Nayla cut off Jack saying.

"Understandable."

"Now, Ms. Draco, there is an SUV waiting outside. We are heading back to the place that you have told us. Are you ready?"

Standing up from her seat, Nayla turn to her seat and grab her black pea coat that her grandfather given her. He had went out and brought her some clothes for the next few days. Shaking out the coat, she went to put it on but it was taken from her hands.

Her eyes shot up to see Hannibal holding it open for her.

The action made Will to shake his head and left the room, knowing that Hannibal was that perfect image of gentlemen. Seeing the action, Jack eyebrow rose but he left the room too.

"Thank you, Dr. Lecter."

"You may call me Hannibal when it's just us." Hannibal lowly told her, helping her into the fine material that fits perfectly to her body. He step back to allow her to turn around and stare into his eyes.

"Shall we go, Ms. Draco?"

"If I can call you Hannibal. Then you can call me Nayla. And yes, we shall go before Mr. Crawford gets even antsier." Nayla said, walking out of the room with Hannibal following closely behind with a smirk.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter: **The Curious Wolf

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…**.. Few Hours Later: …..**

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Arriving in the middle of nowhere in the woods, a group of agents with Jack were following Nayla through the woods. They walk around trees, over holes and cross a river. There were the unit trucks and ambulances that going down this dirt road that they had found that environmental officers use. They were to be needed when they get to the location.

"How much further, Nayla?"

"We are here." Nayla whispers as she walked around a few more trees before coming to a stop and staring up ahead of them.

There was a shack before them causing agents to move forwards and Jack to step up beside Nayla. Hannibal and Will step up on the other side of her.

"They dug tunnels underground. Last I check, there were eight victims when I left." Nayla told Jack, tucking her hands in her coat pockets when a slight cold breeze blew around them.

The agents kick down the door, shouting FBI and going inside.

"Do you recall where the other hideout is?"

"No. They never talk about the whereabouts of their other place. Only who was in their places or who was killed and such. Nothing but their type of business." Nayla answers, watching as an agent step outside and wave for Jack to come over. Since Jack went over, he took Will along with him to further investigate inside.

Hannibal stood back with Nayla and stepped closer to her left side.

"Is this bringing up anything in your mind?" Hannibal asked.

"Other than escaping and running for what seem like forever, no."

"What about the other victims?"

"I wish that I could have done something to get them out, but I was on a time limit. But with me escaping, telling authorities of the whereabouts, I could still save them."

"Like now?"

"Yes, like now." Nayla replied, glancing up at Hannibal with a nod.

"Do you feel any sympathy for them?"

"We were in the same boat. We were all suffering and wanting to escape. I don't know about feeling sympathy because like I said, we were all in the same boat, the same situation. There wasn't any time to feel emotions when your life is right on the line. For me, I block my emotions out and let my survival mode appear. I wanted to live." Nayla explained, staring at a few agents coming out of the shack with some of the victims.

"It appears you save them."

"I suppose that I did." Nayla blankly replies, watching agents helping victims out of the house.

A few ambulances had appeared and began to take in the victims. Nayla and Hannibal just stay in their spots, watching everything slowly unfold. The agents were sweeping over the shack, trying to find any evidence while the ambulances were taking the victims off to the nearest hospital building.

When ten minutes had pass, Will had appeared back outside with Jack following after him. Will have walked right back to Jack's SUV without casting anyone a second glance. Hannibal stares after Will with questionable raise eyebrows. Turning back forwards, Hannibal stared at Jack with the questionable look still on his face.

"He is just getting a bit frustrated." Jack simply said to Hannibal.

"In his shoes, who wouldn't?" Nayla said, walking away from them and heading right over to the SUV where Will was sitting in the passenger seat.

Knocking on the window, Will jump a bit and snap his head to look at her. She made a gesture for her to open the door to which he nods his head. He opens the door and stares at her.

"Yes?"

"Is it pointless for me to ask if you are alright?"

Will stared at her then look forwards, out of the SUVs windshield and let out this dry sarcastic chuckle. He shook his head a bit then looks back at her with this sarcastic grin. His eyes wouldn't meet her own eyes, but rather flicker back and forth to not meet her eyes.

"Should've we be asking you that?"

"Don't turn this around and try to attack me. I'm asking you if you are alright or do you want everyone to fuck off."

That comment had actually made Will's eyes to meet hers with shock. His expression clearly shows that he didn't believe how blunt she was. Her pale turquoise eyes stare back into his with a blank expression.

"Which one is it, Mr. Graham?"

"Not to fuck off."

"So, you need space? Just say so."

"You understand the definition of space better than Jack over there. He doesn't know or grasp the concept of when one needs space." Will mutters, staring at the SUVs dashboard with rapid moving eyes.

"Well, try to take up this space time for now. Don't fall into those dark lapses in your mind, Will. It'll be the end of your mental state." Nayla told him before walking away.

Staring at her back, Will eyebrows came together a bit at her words. Her words seem to hit home to him because of his 'gift' of putting himself in the shoes of a killer. And how he has nightmares about all the past killers he had investigated on. He knew that her words were true because there were a lot of dark shadows in his mind that were trying to lure him in.

Nayla walked back over to Jack and Hannibal, seeing both men was staring at her with pure curiosity in their eyes. They obviously wanted to know what Will and she had discussed with one another. She simply came to them and stood beside them with her hands tuck away in her pea coat pockets. Their eyes were still on her, but she kept her eyes on the shack where agents were still exploring its surroundings.

Seeing that she wasn't going to say anything, Jack walked off to go talk to some of the agents about the place. Hannibal stood beside Nayla, glancing at her and wanting to know what she said to dear Will since curiosity was getting the best of him.

"I know that you are going to ask what I said to Will."

"Is it inappropriate for me to know?"

"No. It's just curiosity getting the best of you. I was simply checking up on him."

"Hmm. Alright. But, here I was thinking that you would have brought up the phrase of curiosity killed the cat." Hannibal replied, glancing down at her—since he stood 6ft 1in while she stood 5ft 7in.

"Well, satisfaction brought it back, plus cats have those nine lives. Nevertheless, there is something wrong with that sentence."

Hannibal turns the top of his body towards her with raise eyebrows, wondering what was wrong with probably the most use idiom phrase. Her pale turquoise eyes look up at him and strands of her dark hair lift up in the air as a soft breeze pass through the land around them.

"What's that?"

"Well, nothing is really wrong with it. Rather the one that said it." She said, staring into his eyes. Hannibal felt like he could feel her slowly driving into his mind as she stares into his eyes with those rare pale turquoise color eyes of hers. Those his eyes did narrow when he grasps her sentence.

"Which is?"

"To me, you're not a cat. You're definitely a wolf, a wolf that is curious about his prey and lurks around the darkness."

"Is that how you see me?" Hannibal asked his hands tuck away in his suit pant pockets.

"It is how I saw you this whole time, doctor. And the dry humor of it…it is how I see myself now after this whole ordeal. The primitive side is loose and it isn't planning to get back in its cage anytime soon." Nayla had step up to him, her breasts brush against the side of his right arm before she walked away from him, heading towards the SUV to get away from the scene.

Hannibal stood back, watching not a prey walk away from him, but a seductive and strong predator.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter: **Passing His Final Test

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…**.. Few Days Later: …..**

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Standing within the luxurious psychiatrist practice room, Nayla hands were clasp before her and staring up into the amber hazel eyes of the owner of the room or rather building, Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

"Are you sure?"

Hannibal nodded his head with a gentle grin.

"I am sure, Nayla."

What was happening was that Nayla had needed a place to stay. Hannibal had overheard her telling Will about staying at a hotel for another night since her home and things were sold off or put in storage when she had went missing. Thus, Hannibal had told her to come to his practice building that was a few blocks from his home. And when she showed up today, he had told her that his practice building has an apartment on the other side. On the side they were on was his office and where he does his practice. The other side was this apartment suite upstairs. He had offered her to stay there until she gets back onto her feet in society again or until her kidnappers/killers were capture.

"Well, thank you, Hannibal. That is kind of you." Nayla replied, her eyes getting a twinkle in them. Hannibal bowed his head a bit to show a 'you're welcome' in return.

"Come, I'll show you it." Hannibal told her, giving her a welcoming smile before turning away from her and walking to the door that led out to his waiting room. Nayla stared at his back for a few seconds, still standing in her spot before following after him. Some reason, the smile made her believe that he was up to something. Her senses were telling her so.

Hannibal led her through the waiting room to this door behind the unoccupied secretary desk. He unlocks it then step in with her closely following. They enter this small hallway where there was another door that he unlocks. Opening it up, it showed a staircase going up.

"Shall we?"

Nayla just nods her head and follow Hannibal up the stairs where he opens a door. Hannibal held the door and turn to her, allowing her to step up into the area and stare around.

They were standing in this small foyer and there were three doorways. One led down a hallway where a door was at the end. She believes that was the bedroom. Then another doorway led into a dining room with a wall splitting the room to the kitchen. And lastly the other doorway led to something that she was walking towards. Hannibal shut the door and watches her disappear through a doorway.

Slowly, Hannibal took off his shoes, leaving him in his black socks. He wanted to test her animalistic and defensive side. Hence, with him walking across the wood floors with socks on, she wouldn't hear him.

…**..**

…**..**

…**..**

Nayla had found out that the third doorway led around a corner to this study room. She move towards the desk in the room and ran her left hand over the glossy hard dark cherry wood surface.

Pausing in front of the desk, she stared at the small study room surroundings and taking in some of the sketches in picture frames on the walls. She moves towards one sketch that looks familiar to her, but pause.

The way she was standing, the light hit the picture frame perfectly that it show a clear reflection of the room behind her. And right now, she was seeing Hannibal sneaking up behind her with an emotionless face and reaching out.

Nayla shut her eyes then snap them open when she felt the heat of Hannibal's body against her back. Nayla duck just in time to dodge his arms and whirl around his body. She kicks the back of his knees causing him to fall to his knees. Hannibal quickly got up and turns by met a kick across his face.

Hannibal slam to the ground, his eyes snapping open as he watch Nayla come on top of him, straddling his hips and reaching out to choke him. With quick reaction, Hannibal grasps both her wrist in either of his hands and held on. His teeth clench as he could feel the power she had pushing down on him.

"Why the sudden attack, Dr. Lecter?" Nayla lowly growled out, her eyes darkening.

"To see just how animal and high your senses are." Hannibal ground out.

When Nayla had adjusted herself only slightly on him, Hannibal took the opportunity to flip them over so he was on top. But she head butted him causing him to hiss out and let one of her hands go to grab his forehead in reaction. To add onto the surprise head butt, Nayla had punched him in the groin causing him to groan out and weaken a bit. Nayla shove him off and stood up, about to find something to hit him but he grab her ankle and rip her back down.

Nayla slam into the floor and let out a painful groan as it wasn't a nice fall. She had bit her lip to which it began to bleed. Nayla turn over to kick him, but she let out a frustrate yell as he was back on top of her.

"Get off me!"

"No." Hannibal replied, shaking his head a bit to make his bangs move out of his eyes, but not able to do so.

"Why?"

"Like I said before, I want to see how well your senses are. But we need to work on your aggressive fighting." Hannibal told her, sitting back on her hips and allowing her to sit up on her hands. Nayla was staring up at him with narrow eyes and he stared back at her with a slight smirk.

"Are you trying to tutor me about something?" Nayla question him.

"Yes." Hannibal instantly replies back, getting off her and holding out his right hand. She stared at his hand with a glare and a bit of distrust, but grabs it anyways. Hannibal easily pulls her up into an upright position and up close to him.

"Why do you wish to do so? Something is telling me that it isn't for self-defense against those kidnappers that took me."

"It isn't. When you stare at me, what do you see?"

"Well, you're a perfectionist, like the finer things in life, but when I said that you are like a wolf, the predator part is true. To me, Hannibal, you are the stranger that stands outside of the circle, having the mobility to walk around it and observe its ways. You have the ability to let some of your experiences or skills enter the circle to effect it, but not in a way that you would be caught. You do it slyly. To me, Hannibal, you are your own social group. One that doesn't fit in with the normal group, but you somehow manages to slip into it. You hide yourself behind this mask. You mask your true self from others seeing. To me, Hannibal…" Nayla was explaining, but pause as she step up to him and taking note of how his eyes dilated.

"You're the elegant demon hiding in the dark until someone passes by."

"And what happens when someone goes by?" Hannibal seem to purr out, his accent deepening a bit as he step closer to her that she had to tilt her head back a bit to stare up at him.

"One, you either observes them. Two, you take them, mess with them and then let them go and watch how your work effects them. Or lastly, number three, you take them into the darkness and they are never seen again." Nayla answers, staring him straight in the eyes and never faltering. Hannibal reach out, caressing her cheek and gives her a predatory smile.

Seeing her not flinching from his touch, not faltering in her words on explaining her observation of him, and not backing down, Hannibal made a check in his head. A check of her passing his test of being strong minded for him to definitely take under his wing. To teach her the ways and possibly becoming a female carbon copy of himself.

Hannibal cups her face and kept smirking at her.

"We shall keep this in between us, dear." Hannibal told her.

"I think we shall, Hannibal."


End file.
